What do you propose we do?

I think we're on the right track. There is a lot of attention being paid to teacher performance, and that is the correct step. Now, for those schools which have serious problems, like no AC or falling down buildings, absolutely, fix them. However, as I've stated before, the majority of any real change will have to occur within families and inner city society. I know I'll probably get called ignorant for this, but the black community still does not encourage education like white society does. I think that million man march your kid to school thing is a great idea. Rather than admiring Kayne or Lebron or Vick, those kids need to be looking up to successful black businessmen, doctors, lawyers and clergy(not Jackson or Sharpton). I would say politics but I think there are too many politicians left over from the civil rights movement. I'm not saying that these people didnt do good things, but they are all to often in the mindset of blame, rather than fixing the situation. I think the black community needs tough talk to solve their problems, similar to that being done by Bill Cosby and Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson. This applies to all sections of society, blacks, whites, individuals...when the blame is placed on other things, and other people, it requires those people to fix it. If you blame your father for your life, it is difficult to fix your problems without addressing his role in your life. However, if you cast aside blame, you no longer have to deal with the outside factors, and thus have the power to fix it on your own.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

well golly gee willikers, smartacus....if that wasn't already being done, i might actually commend you for stating the obvious.

Starang, sure it is. I'm not seeing any new leadership rising up with this message. But I expected a response like that from you, seeing as you probably clench up at the idea that the white community may not be to blame for everything wrong in the black community. But yeah, I'm sure its being done. After all, none of the organizations who speak for the black community are still holding on to such views...well besides the NAACP, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson...

But then again I'm white, I probably just wrote the above post to ridicule and hold down black people everywhere...

LOL @ smartacus - you and these words!

Of course you did! :cool: I pretty much agree with most of what you said though.

you have no idea what goes on in the communities of people outside of your little, neat box, so you're assertation that there is no leadership or even poor leadership is silly because what you're seeing is not only skewed, but also incredibly inaccruate. you're quick to point of the "racism" of many leaders such as ralph nagin, and maynard jackson because they don't fit into your nice little mold as to what a "black leader" should be. if you'd open your eyes and quit being so incredibly ignorant, you'd see many organizations that are in place for the betterment of the black community. if you'd open your eyes, you'd realize that you're posting in the forum of one of the best.

i'm not even black, and i see that. jesus, some people are so dimwitted but think they're re-inventing water.

My little box? Yeah, I'm sorry, I say things how they are in REALITY. I have no interest in appeasing people's sensitive natures. Once again, I know you're struggling with this concept, but a difference in opinion is not ignorance. Of course there are some good things happening in the black community, if you'd try reading, perhaps you'd see where I already wrote that. Unfortunately, they're the exception, not the rule. Until they're accepted widely by black society, not much will change, will it? I guess by your definition dimwitted=disagreeing with you. Unfortunately, you missed the part where you're not even the most intelligent person on THIS THREAD, much less in our society.

reality for whom? you're ignorant to much of what goes on outside of your little world and can thus only spit rhetoric about what you see on mtv, bet and the news. don't take the term ignorant as an insult, i'm just calling you that because that's exactly what you are. an uninformed, and close-minded individual who seems to actually believe that america is on some sort of level playing field for everyone and that all you have to do is just work hard. peope of color have to work twice as hard as a white man to get the same distance. such is the nature of white privelege. but you wouldn't know anything about that, because you're one of those people who seem to believe that everything is hunky dory and that everyone else's fault. step out to the real world to what real people actually experience.

all you know is a few little bits of information here and there, and bam you're an expert in what goes on everywhere. in your convoluted mind, you seem to believe that everything happens overnight and miracles go on everyday. sorry, chad...that's not how reality works. if you'd take off your rose tinted glasses, you might actually see that, but as it is...you're still uninformed and very foolish.

you're an ignorant twit, who i'm sprinting mental laps around. being the smartest person in this thread means nothing to me, but from your post history...i'm definitely far more intelligent than your simple ass.

Wait a minute shiner, are you saying she is NOT "above genius level IQ"?!?! Step out of your neat little box, twit!

the irony, LOL

and find new jokes, too. i know it's hard when you have barely enough brain cells to breathe.

Just because I say things which offend you, theres no reason to get angry. The fact is, I'm correct. I'm not close minded, I'm just right. I'm not unaware of the big world out there, I've seen it, and I'm still right. The playing field is level. Everyone can go to school. Everyone can get a job. All it takes is hard work. Believe it or not, all people are dealt a tough hand at one time or another. It is apparent that you prefer to wallow in that difficulty, and that you support others who do the same. I'm sorry that you'd rather blame such problems on the big white devil, because the real and usual cause, laziness, is too much for you to bear. So basically, you just proved my point about the black community. People like you are patting the black community on the head and telling them, "Its ok, its not your fault. Just wait, yell loud enough and maybe it'll get fixed." I'm sure that'll be very helpful in the long run.

I really enjoyed your comment regarding how you're "running circles around me." Obviously that came as quite a surprise, seeing as you've yet to make a statement of substance. From reading your posts, I've yet to see a rational argument, nor anything to support one of your arguments.

If being realistic makes me a twit, then by all means, I am. Its very difficult being me, not being blinded by the media or leftist sentiment, but I make do. Its tough though, telling people like yourself the truth, and watching as they make some sort of nonsensical outburst in order to protect their narcissistic sense of self. I'm gonna help you out here, in hopes that we can all catch a break from your "But I am smart! I am!" claims. You are very intelligent. You may be the smartest person on Greekchat, congratulations.

I don't see this in my own personal experience nor in tellings of the first-hand experiences of "minorities." So, I have two questions. First, in short, how do you find that the playing field has been leveled? And, two, how do you account for the shared negative experiences of so many "minorities" in the U.S.? (Do you think people are lying?)

I'm saying that people are led to believe that they are unequal. Can black people go to school? Absolutely. Can they go to college? Without a doubt, and often can get some help in this area. Can they get a job? Of course. Many big Atlanta firms look to hire minorities, and I imagine this is the case everywhere. These are the things that I think make a level playing field.

Now, there are other things that effect minorities. Is the wealth playing field equal? No. Is the parenting playing field equal? No. However, I don't think the government has any role in this area. White people don't cause the wealth difference. Nor do they create the parenting difference.

Maybe I should rephrase like this. I think the personal playing field is uneven. However, individuals can only fix them for themselves.